Axle-lubricator



(No Model.)

, BREWER. LUBRICATOR.

No. 450,135. Patented Apr. 14,189.1.

iivrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES IV. BREVER, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEOPHILUS KING, OF QUINOY, MASSACHUSETTS.

AXLE-LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,135, dated April 14, 1891. Application led August 25, 1890. Serial No. 362,956. (No model.)

To @ZZ 1071/0171, t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, CHARLES W. BREWER,

of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex,

State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Axle- Lubrieators, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled inthe art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view of my improved axle; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a like view showing a modification in the arrangement'of the groove; Fig. 4, a cross-section of the same; Fig. 5, a cross-section of the axle as shown in Fig. l; and Figs. 6 and 7, vertical transverse sections of axles, illustrating modifications in the formation of the grooves.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to means for lubricating the axles of carriages and similar vehicles; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a more effective and otherwise desirable device than is nowin ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all con- Versant with such matters from the folio .ving explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the axle considered as a whole, said axle being screwthreaded at b to receive the nut and provided with the ordinary hub shoulder or flange d. A longitudinally-arranged groove f is formed in the upper face of the axle and extends from a point near the threaded portion l) to the shoulder d. A strip of felt g or similar material suitable to absorb and hold oil is disposed in said groove with its upper edge flush with the surface of the axle. A supplemental groove or oil-duct i is formed in the axle at one edge of the groove f, said duct being preferably about one-half the depth of the main groove and formed in one wall thereof. The duct may be of any suitable form, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and of the same or shorter length than the main groove, as preferred.

I am aware that axles have been provided with a lubricating-pad, as g, disposed in a groove, asf, before. In this construction the friction of the Wheel-hub rapidly causes the upper face of the pad to glaze or become hardened, so that when oil is applied said pad will not absorb or retain it, and no effectV is attained other than by the ordinary methods of lubricating.

In the use of my improvement the oil is inserted in t-he supplemental duct or groove z', Where it is rapidly absorbed into the side of the pad and distributed therethrough, serving to lubricate the journal much longer with the same quantity of oil than when applied in the ordinary manner. Moreover, the use of the duct avoids the necessity of removing the pad to apply the lubricant.

The groove f and duct z' may be extended through the axle-shoulder d, as shown at fm in Figs. 3 and 4, enabling the lubricant to be applied without removing the wheel.

Having-thus explained my invention, what I claim isl. An axle provided with a main groove in its journal adapted to receive an absorbent pad, and a supplemental groove or oil-duct formed in ajvall of and opening into said main groove, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the charac-ter described, an axle provided with a longitudinal groove in its journal and an oil-duct opening therein, said duct being of less depth than said groove and arranged longitudinally in one Wall thereof, in combination with an absorbent pad disposed in said groove, t substantially as described. y

In a device of the character described,

the axle provided with the groove f lamd x through the hub-flange, substantiallyas and duct. i, formed iu one wall thereof, substzmfor the purpose set forth. tally as and for the purpose set forth.

4. Iuadevoeof the charaoterdeseribed, an CHARLES XV. BREWER. axle having a longitudinally-Lrmnged groove VitneSses: in its journal and an oil-duet formed in one O. M. SHAW, Wall thereof, said duct and groove opening N. F. TURNER. 

